Golden Girl

by Joan Wolf

The handsome but debt-ridden Anthony Selbourne, Duke of Cheviot, marries Sarah Patterson, granddaughter of a wealthy merchant. Although Sarah dislikes her fiance's snobbery and Anthony loathes a mercantile marriage, they take a chance on each other. When someone tries to kill Sarah, Anthony finds he will do anything to save the woman who was once foisted upon him.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Regency, Marriage Of Convenience, Fiction, Regency Romance

336 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 1999

About the author

Joan Wolf is a USA TODAY bestselling American writer, whose acclaimed Regency romances have earned her national recognition as a master of the genre. Her many historical and contemporary romances, some of which have been chosen as Literary Guild selections, have been highly praised by reviewers and authors alike.

Joan was born in 1951 and she grew up in the Bronx, New York. A former English teacher, she obtained a Bachelor's degree in Mercy College and Master in English and Comparative Literature at Hunter College. An avid rider and horse owner, Joan lives in Connecticut with her husband Joe and two grown children, Jay and Pam.

Reviews

[Naksed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exactly the kind of uber sweet romance I needed to escape some pretty bleak, dismal books lately. Joan Wolf, in her usual, spare, unadorned, story-telling style, sets up the perfect conflict in a marriage of convenience between an impoverished aristocrat and a rich merchant's daughter.

There was so much rich potential here for plausible conflict: not just the difference in their station,but the secondary characters like the uncouth, crass grandpa warbucks, the snobby relatives, the scheming, evil stepmother, the jilted lover. I wish there were more fish-out-of-water moments but the author inexplicably set these aside pretty early in the story, instead choosing to focus on an over-the-top murder whodunit.

What saved this book was the delightful characterizations of the two protagonists. The female protagonist is very sensitive, even intuitive, and this aspect of her nature allows her both to be a true artist (painting is her life's calling, not being the pampered wife of a Duke) and also to guess at and read into the depth of her husband's heart and soul,unlike all others who can only stop at the surface, his incredible, Michelangelo beauty and or his impeccable lineage and title.

It was a pleasure to see these two slowly, and plausibly, fall in love. Their bond however is not just intellectual or emotional but it is deeply sensual as well. I have not known Joan Wolf to write explicit sex scenes and nothing she writes here is certainly to the graphic level of some romance books but she definitely went further than she had in any of the books I have read from her, and let me tell you, those scenes were HOT!

I loved this marriage of convenience story even if I did not like the clumsy, suspense, B-plot that acted as its main conflict.

[Mou: Fae of Heartfelt ARC · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Enjoyable Read!

The plotline was very ordinary but the writing style, story execution, and the characters make it a really enjoyable one! I find the main protagonists were very logical and mature. That is the very reason I believe the book was a success for me.

[Preeti ♥︎ Her Bookshelves · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good absorbing book about a merc match, deserving of all the good reviews.
The author has done a good job. Things keep happening, rolling - without much hyperbole- keeping the reader immersed in this moc between a calm, collected and sophisticated duke and a young, almost immature girl who’d rather paint than anything else in life.
We get povs of almost all the characters involved, making it easy to understand their motivations. Even the villain’s or the bad/antagonistic characters’.

The H, - a slender, almost (but definitely not) foppish ex-army duke is my favorite character.
In the opening chapter, his dissolute father commits suicide, burdening him with an impoverished and heavily mortgaged duchy. His aunt and her husband travel to Paris where he’s stationed with Wellington, to break the news. He barely has a moment of relief (yes, he’s relived that his wastrel of a father is dead) before getting to know of the mountainous new debts. Her solution - marry an heiress and she promises to find him one.

The h - is the quiet and mousy granddaughter of an immensely wealthy cotton merchant. She went to school with the H’s aunt’s daughter and so the aunt thinks of her. The h is a great disappointment to her grandfather because of her retiring ways and her unimpressive looks. But the new turn of events makes the old man - the ubiquitous social-climbing and grasping mushroom pretty happy.
The h/H meet at the aunt’s estate. The h is initially kept in the dark by everyone and the H takes the time to establish a comfortable friendship with her, being his usual dignified and soft-spoken self. She is befuddled as to why everyone is being so nice and attentive to her unlike the last time she visited her friend’s (the H’s cousin) house when the countess (the H’s mother) had looked down upon her making her refuse more invitations from her friend. And so, when she comes to know of the subterfuge, she’s upset and refuses the duke.
The H visits her and extolls all that she will gain from the marriage - namely the freedom to paint and he promises to take her all over Europe seeing and learning art. She accepts and so they enter an moc, expecting nothing more than a comfortable and friendly alliance.
They are both surprised at the easy, satisfying intimacy and friendship that they find in their marriage. The book lifts at this point and it was lovely seeing them find some happiness and contentment when they had no expectations of such.

The problems actually reside outside of their marriage - anger, jealousy and old grouses from some quarters.
The most interesting and queer (not using the word lightly) reaction is one from the duke’s longtime army ‘friend’ and now secretary Max. From the word go, the reader can pick up surprising nuances here (or rather the author allows us to). Max is overly possessive about the duke. He had once saved his life and limb (literally) during their Salamanca days and feels that he has the greatest right over him. He never expected the new unimpressive duchess to be more than a means for the duke, and so is jarred out of his complacency upon seeing the budding and firming up of their relationship.
“You don't understand, Max. Sarah Patterson is different from most girls of her age. She is..."
He frowned, searching for the words he wanted. "She is a person.”
Second dubious person is Harvey, another cotton merchant and the h’s childhood friend and wannabe husband. We realize that he truly loves the h and his motives for pursuing her were not just mercenary. He hates the duke on sight and tries his best to put a wedge between them.
So, after these two - who each love one mc - is the H’s estranged family - his two stepbrothers and his cold, unloving stepmom who’s the reason he was banished from his birthright - the castle at Cheviot - as a small boy. The older stepbrother was hopeful (in fact all three were) that the duke would die on the battlefields and never return leaving the dukedom to him.

When the h/H visit Cheviot castle, they gets an expectedly cold reception. The mcs ignore it and spend their days doing as they had planned to do - him repairing the shambles left by his father, she painting the Northumberland sceneries and the North Sea - by the day and their nights in happy passion. Unbeknownst to them, hatred was seething and then boils over sending the castle into “a volcano of fear, suspicion, and turmoil.”
There are a couple of attacks on the h. The H is scared that the h would think he’s involved - as his family and Harvey (he’s visiting) try to tell the h - but thankfully, after a moment of niggle the h strongly refutes it. The h/H believe the idea is to harm her and blame the H for it. But the attacks are never murderous as the villain is still reigning it in, seeing that the ploy is working.
The reader knows who and why she’s being attacked - from the villains pov. I think the author did a great job letting things be a mystery for the characters but not the reader.
So, a hugely absorbing book. I couldn’t put it down.

I have some issues with the h though. Yes, its’ a moc and she’s not expected to fall in love with her husband soon or at all (of course she does! But just saying if they were real ppl) but her reactions are too immature or shallow at times. When she is pleased or satisfied with things or her environs, then she acts compliant or happy but if a bit of discomfort crops up, she starts regretting the marriage. Really put me off.
“For the first time since Anthony had made love to her,
Sarah wished she had not married him.”
And barely 12 hours after this --
“ I love him, she thought.”
The H has PTSD from the war and often has nightmares. I love how the h stops him from leaving her bed and wants him sleeping with her so she can wake him up and sooth him. But towards the end, she sees a cause that’ll probably make him have nightmares again. I did not like her reaction here --
“More nightmares, Sarah thought wearily.”
The ‘wearily’ makes it sound about her, as if ‘she’s’ tired of them. Maybe I’m nitpicking but just one word can change the portrayal. I feel he deserved a stronger, more mature wife.

The ending is bit abrupt for all that. Thankfully, we get an enlivening epilogue.

Joan Wolf is a traditional HR writer with great knowledge and prowess in her field and so when she unabashedly incorporates Cheviot (and the hills), Scottish Marches, battle of Chevy Chase and history surrounding the hills as the H’s family’s own history, it doesn’t seem encroaching or forced as it sometimes does with newer authors who make it look like info-dump.

[Vintage · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicely done sweet and gentle MOC romance between a Duke, the top of the English social structure/just below royalty, and a very wealthy commoner with a vulgar, materialistic grandpa.

The Duke is pretty up front that he is marrying the h for her money, but makes her an offer she can't refuse. The Duke, unlike bottom-line gramps and a long-time equally bottom line swain, will honor and encourage his prospective wife's desire to paint.

There are intimations of trouble from the outside, a villain that is spotted a mile away and exposed by the author almost immediately, a glowering Dowager, and two resentful half brothers stir the mix when the Duke and his bride get back to ye old stone castle homestead.

[Linda (NOT RECEIVING NOTIFICATIONS) · Rating 4 out of 5]

GOLDEN GIRL began for me with great expectations. Sarah Patterson was an 18 year old lady who came from money. Her grandfather made good in the cotton trade but lacked 'a title'. No matter how well off he was he would never be accepted by the gentry of his time. Until something happened that changed everything.

The current Duke of Cheviot had left things a mess at the beginning of this romance. He impoverished his estate, went into steep debt and then left a note for his son, Anthony, to fix things. Then he killed himself.

Anthony had long ago left behind the social class in England to serve with Wellington on the Peninsula and, later, in Paris. He is 27 years old when the story opens and has just found out that he has to marry for money. Relatives of his have set up things between the two families and he dreads what will have to happen but understands his place.

Sarah and he meet and, surprised, Anthony finds out they have a lot in common. Sarah is unaware of their 'match' and has a pleasant visit with his family. Fast forward and Sarah succumbs to the new Duke's plan. He will take care of her and let her follow her passion- to have the freedom to paint. He will use her monies to fix up all of his holdings and connect her grandfather to his name.

Their marriage of convenience without a doubt has some bumpy moments. But lo and behold, they actually talk to each other! This part was what sucked me in and kept me reading. Sarah was unexpectedly intelligent, good-natured and had common sense. Anthony had his own demons but meant to make his marriage work.

Introduced early on was Anthony's closest friend and confidant, one Maxwell Scott. A soldier, he watched over Anthony and developed over time an obsession with the man. Anthony remained unaware of Max's true nature and treated him as his BFF. Needless-to-say, Max learned quickly that he did not want Sarah around anymore.

It was mentioned more than once how beautiful Anthony was. Max, on the other hand, had a more awkward appearance, and was a serious quiet individual. There was nothing overtly sexual but I would gather if push came to shove and Anthony had taken notice, Max would have tried to pursue a relationship with him. He loved the man.

Where the romance dropped from five to four stars occurred in the last quarter of the story. The plot was rolling along and then it was like Ms. Wolf just needed to make a mad dash to tie up all the loose ends. You knew because Max was the villain that he was going to be found out. You knew that Anthony and Sarah would earn their HEA. But the way it happened felt uneasy. After completing the epilogue I can look back and still say I enjoyed this romance. I just wish it wasn't so rushed at the end.

[Jacqueline J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exactly what I needed at this moment. This was a very nice romance. It had some similarities to A Double Deception by the same author but was not at all the same story. It was just a lovely book about two lovely people in a marriage of convenience. The conflict and climax was outside their marriage and not all about whether they would or wouldn't go to bed together.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Golden Girl was my fist book by Joan Wolf and I found the story and characters to be exceedingly well-developed. I adore marriage of convenience stories and this is one of the very best MoC that I've read along with Macomber's "Morning Comes Softly" and Miller's "Daniel's Bride." I loved how Anthony and Sarah talked to each other and learned to trust each other.

Despite the premise that he was an impoverished Duke who needed his bride's wealth to restore his ancestral estate, their falling in love felt organic and real throughout the story. Anthony was a man of immense integrity and grace. Sarah was indeed a golden girl, she is pure gold in her heart, mind, and spirit. It was no wonder that Anthony respected Sarah's painting, he was drawn to her light.

However, as much as I loved the story, I cannot give the book five full stars. The author chose, for some unknown reason, to state in the footnote that she and her publisher deliberately left out the epilogue in the e-book version, that we Kindle purchasers only get 99% percent of the original story. In that case, since I purchased this as Kindle e-book, I cannot give this book 5 stars inasmuch as I didn't get to enjoy 100 percent of the story.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Joan Wolf marriage of convenience romance with engaging protagonists. The Duke hero is thoughtful, honorable, and devastatingly handsome, The heroine, the granddaughter of a Cit, is intelligent, empathic, and a talented painter. They quickly bond over a mutual love of poetry, Shakespeare, and art, despite a crassly negotiated 'business deal' marriage, and find a true emotional connection. However, the course of their romance is marred by a series of distracting subplots involving jealous friends and family. Not my favorite Joan Wolf novel, but enjoyable nevertheless!

[Aou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet and slow burn romance with a beta hero but without angst.

[Ira · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars.

What a delightful read!:)
It was nice to see a MOC theme where both parties went into it with open eyes, respect it and not make it as an excuse to become a jerk.
They learn and find out more about each other, communicate and then fall in love.

Everything awesome about this couple, also the supporting characters gave me plenty lol moments too.

There is something annoying in this story though, the baddie is over the top and ended badly, his character is a bit dodgy, but considering what year this book published I can understand why his character end up like this.

And I don't mind, everything can't be wrong in their world as long as this couple always loving like this, I'm happy with their book!:)

[Eliza]

snooze-fest

[Corduroy · Rating 4 out of 5]

More like 3.5.

I've fallen down a Joan Wolf reading vortex. My findings so far are that she is possibly a genius, but a genius with a strong tendency toward going off on tangents. Golden Girl is another book of the "good, but also all over the place" variety.

Premise: Anthony is the new duke of so-and-so. He himself is a solid, trustworthy person, but has inherited a dukedom on the edge of total financial collapse. He needs to marry for money. Lots and lots and lots of money - a fortune. His family comes up with the granddaughter of an extremely wealthy merchant, Sarah. After an early misunderstanding, they get married, and because neither of them is horrible and because they actually (shock!) talk to each other, things are going pretty well. They might even be falling in love! Then Mysterious Gothic Events begin to take place: someone may be out to kill Sarah.

So, as an arranged marriage story, this was very sweet. I really liked the development of the Anthony-Sarah story; it reminded me a bit of a lighter-weight version of the great Georgette Heyer novel A Civil Contract. It basically treats the two leads like real humans, and instead of a lot of nonsense about misunderstandings and drama, their marriage is treated as a serious thing by the book and by the characters: they both try quite hard to make things work, and to be kind to each other, and generous of spirit. I am allergic to the Big Misunderstanding model of historical romance, so I really appreciated this.

There is a sort of initial misunderstanding, but it didn't bother me: when Anthony and Sarah first meet, Anthony knows that he's meeting a potential bride, but he asks others to keep this information from Sarah, so they can just meet as people. When this comes to light, Sarah feels a little betrayed, but the handling of this is very good, and it isn't the sort of misunderstanding that drags on for 75% of the book, so - good, good. Onward!

Then the book takes an odd turn. Where Heyer uses as plot simply the development of a relationship between two people from widely different class and cultural backgrounds, for some reason this book feels that it needs a mystery subplot. (This reader disagrees.)

Minor spoilers I'm not sure even need the warning here: Before becoming a duke, Anthony was a soldier. His fellow soldier/now private secretary, was a fellow named Maxwell. Maxwell's primary traits are that he has close-set eyes (the book mentions this more often than the one time I need to GET IT) and is obsessed with Anthony. (I felt that it was implied that this obsession is essentially romantic/sexual.) He wants Anthony to love only Maxwell, no one else. At first, he's fine with the development of the marriage, but when it becomes clear that Anthony actually likes his wife as a person, and that they are falling in love, mysterious events begin to befall Sarah. (I don't really even know if that needs to be a spoiler, because the book never tries to trick you - you know what Maxwell is about from the start.)

For me, I found this subplot totally unnecessary and kind of dumb. It felt like something from a different book that was not as good, and it alters the course and pacing of the emotional developments between Anthony and Sarah in a way I didn't like, so that the conclusion of the book feels rushed, I never completely felt that I got the payoff of the setup of the arranged marriage between strangers.

It's a pretty good book, and a quite good version of the "nobleman marries a middle-class heiress" trope, but the last third of the book does not fulfill the emotional promise of the first third. A little underwhelming at the end, but overall definitely worth reading if you like the marriage-of-convenience trope and value skillful depictions of emotional dynamics over very explicit bedroom scenes.

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pointed in the direction of this title by someone in the HR group in response to a request I made for some good “marriage of convenience” titles. Joan Wolf is an author I’m aware of, but haven’t read, so I tracked down a copy of Golden Girl as it sounded like just the sort of thing I was after.

The Duke of Cheviot has amassed so many debts that he can’t see a way out and takes his own life, leaving his heir, an army Captain, to put everything to rights. He can only do this by marrying money, and his aunt and uncle seek out an heiress for him – Sarah Patterson. The downside to this is that she’s not an aristocrat – her grandfather has made his money in trade – but beggars can’t be choosers and time is of the essence.

Anthony and Sarah marry, and things begin well. They have already developed a friendship, which is a good basis for a marriage, and they have an instinctual understanding of each other. There are a few bumps along the road however, although these are ironed out fairly quickly because this pair actually talk to each other rather than hiding things or jumping to conclusions. It’s clear they’ve fallen for each other before they acknowledge it, but of course things can’t be as easy as all that.

The unusual thing about this book was that rather than there being a jealous mistress with murderous intent, it’s Anthony’s secretary and (he thinks) best friend Max who is the cause of the plot against Sarah. Right from the outset, it’s clear that Max is infatuated with his employer (although there’s nothing overtly sexual), and he had expected, given the nature of Anthony’s marriage, to retain his position as BFF and confidante. He doesn’t want to kill Sarah to get her out of the way, but rather so that Anthony will turn to him and their relationship will return to the way it was before.

I raced through the book in about a day and really enjoyed it. The relationship between the H&H is tender and very well drawn; there are a few sex scenes, but nothing graphic.

[Roub · Rating 3 out of 5]

i like it very much but the ending was too abrupt for me. i wished der had been an awful confrontation between max and anthony. after all dat suspense building up, i was waiting for something major to happen, which did not. i loved however how anthony fell for his wife. sarah might be plain but she had a golden heart as well as wit and intelligence. she was interesting, unlike some boring angelic beauties. anthony had the world at his feet but he was in dire need of funds. so he proposed to sarah but he was truly a respectable man. i knew he had immense integrity and he proved it by setting up a trust fund for his wife, by being unaffected when sarah's grandfather announced he would not leave any money to sarah and most importantly, by caring genuinely for his wife. he was not bitter nor resentful of her but instead, was thankful. the book was a 4 star for me until the end, when i did not get my confrontation! dats where it lost one star.

[Darbella · Rating 1 out of 5]

Author purposely did not include the epilogue to the kindle version.

[Sanzida Islam · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[MissKitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dont mind the title, its not about a granny. 🤣

[Sruthi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thankyou for recommending this to me Mou.

Somehow I did not quite like the H. h was lovable enough. I think the title was misplaced, it should have been Golden duke instead. I just could not connect to their story, Maybe its because of all the 5 starrers I have been reading lately.

[TinaNoir · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Duke of Cheviot kills himself after losing 100 guineas at the gambling table. He has beggared his family and has created an incredible burden for his son, the new Duke, Anthony.

Anthony realizes that he must marry an heiress. And not just any heiress, one with liquid assets. Enter Sarah Patterson. She is the granddaughter of the wealthiest cit in London.

At first Anthony is dismayed. He has met her grandfather who, to polite society, is considered crude and boorish. But Sarah has been gently reared, attending school with ladies of the ton. Anthony is not only gratified to find that Sarah isn't uncivilized but he is genuinely taken with her talent in painting.

For her part, Sarah just wants to paint and isn't necessarily bowled over with the idea of being sold to become a Duchess. But she meets Anthony and the two are attracted to one another.

This is yet another good, old fashioned regency from Wolf. I really find that I like her spare, matter-of-fact writing style. I also enjoy the little dash of menace she always includes in her books. Another plus for this book is that Anthony and Sarah make great leads. They aren't stupid. He's a great hero without being an over-the-top Alpha. She's got a spine without being too spunky. And it is a real joy to read as they begin to fall in love with each other.

[Georgie-who-is-Sarah-Drew · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I enjoyed this. The story is slight, and has echoes of Heyer's A Civil Contract and The Quiet Gentleman, but is none the worse for that. It's a dignified little story of a quiet progression towards deep mutual love after a marriage of convenience.

The latter part of the book involves a slightly melodramatic attempt on the heroine's life - it's a fairly obvious "bolt-on" in plot terms. I normally have little time for that sort of device, but this one, in fact, is driven by a rather sad villain, whose motives (in a longer, less genre work) would merit more exploration.

I'll reread this.

[Nightwitch · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first half of the book, involving a tired and impoverished war hero duke forced to court and marry a wealthy merchant's granddaughter, was wonderful. Anthony and Sarah are both well-drawn and realistic characters - Sarah, while young and naive, is practical and intelligent (a typical Wolf heroine), and Anthony, while charming and heroic, is very much a product of his time and is realistically snobbish (e.g. is grateful that his wife is so "ladylike") in a way that is not horrifically grating. The second half of the book, involving a pathologically jealous man with an obviously-homosexual fixation on the duke, is awful. The romance world has moved beyond the Obsessive Gay Villain; it's unfortunate that this book was written before then.

[Apricity · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anthony doesn't think too highly of himself only because of his birth. He is quite understanding.
Sarah is intuitive, caring and talented. At first, I thought she was submissive but she isn't.
I liked Lawrence and Patrick.
As for Max, he is portrayed as a homosexual and reading of how much negatively he is written doesn't sit well in this era.

[Ipshita · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★½

[Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt the need to check out of reality for a few hours from all that holiday stress and escape into a romance book. I turned my phone off, hid in my room and picked up a book by one of my favorite authors, Joan Wolf. I picked Golden Girl because the synopsis sounded like my type of love story. I have a weak spot for arranged marriages that end in a happily ever after.

Anthony, the hero, was almost too perfect but there was something mysterious about him that drew me in like a moth to a lightbulb. It’s practically indescribable to explain why his character lured me. He had a secret strength about him yet was vulnerable to the heroine. I just loved Anthony.

The heroine, Sarah, was humble, down to earth and a free spirit. She was a character that I could respect and look up to.

When Anthony and Sarah started their relationship, I was smitten. I had a goofy smile throughout the story. Their relationship was sweet with the right amount of sensual to make me feel all gushy for them.

The cast of characters were well developed. I experienced a variety of feelings toward several of them at different times. I was definitely engaged starting on the first page all the way through to the last page. The story flowed at a smooth and steady pace. I actually paused a few times to soak in the moment with either a pleasant sigh, a gasp of surprise or to give a stink eye.

A heads up: the synopsis does not reveal the entire plot. There is an ongoing thread that is suspenseful. This particular thread escalates throughout the story, but it didn’t end the way I predicted. I was riveted to my seat from start to finish between the budding romance and through the plot twists.

If you are looking for a fun distraction, then I recommend this book. I felt so much better after reading it.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarah Patterson is the granddaughter of a very wealthy cotton magnate. She has been to the best schools, is quiet and cultured. Painting is her love and motivation. Her grandfather William is ambitious and crude. When approached about using his fortune to buy a title, he is interested.

Col. Anthony Selbourne is the new Duke of Cheviot. When he learns of his title, he is in France where he has made his life as a British officer. After neglecting the family estates and gambling away his fortune, Anthony’s father has killed himself. Anthony learns his only way to save his family, his tenants, and the estates is to marry quickly and to a very wealthy bride.

Anthony and Sarah are introduced at a country visit. They get along well until Sarah finds out about the proposed marriage. Anthony manages to restore the arrangement, he really likes and respects Sarah, by encouraging her painting and offering her the freedom and support for her passion. When the attempts on Sarah’s life begin, Anthony realizes that he has fallen in love.

Good characters, reasonably executed plot, plausible relationships all round. A good, enjoyable read. Recommended.

Readalikes:
Julia Quinn – The Duke and I; Judith McNaught – Whitney, My Love; Mary Balogh – Slightly Dangerous; Stephanie Laurens – The Lady Chosen; Mary Jo Putney - One Perfect Rose; Lisa Kleypas – Stranger in my Arms; Julie Garwood – Castles.

Pace: Fast
Characters: Likeable; well-developed
Story: Character-driven
Writing style: Engaging
Tone: Upbeat; suspenseful
Frame: England; 1817-1818

[Meggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first half of the story: duke who has inherited huge debts undertakes a marriage of convenience with uber-wealthy heiress who only cares about painting. They're sweet!

But then the second half involves a mystery plot line wherein the duke's secretary becomes irrationally jealous of the heiress and repeatedly tries to injure or kill her, and he descends into madness because of his love for the duke. Why? Why make the villain an Evil Closeted Gay Man?? (I know this is a novel from 1999, but still.)

[Lindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very close to Georgette Heyer’s “A Civil Contract” (1961) where the heavily indebted hero, just come home from the Napoleonic Wars, has to marry a merchant’s daughter to pay off his debts to save his ducal estate.
In contrast to Heyer’s novel, there is a very believable romance in Wolf’s book where the protagonists learn to appreciate and love each other.
However, the murder-plot in the last third of the novel was unnecessary as well as the rushed HEA.

[Sarah Monty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Impoverished nobleman, industrial heiress. This is my least favorite of them. The nobleman is dense, and the heiress is soft. Additionally, the book has an ugly homophobic slant to it that does not read well in the present day.

[Giulia Vasquez · Rating 3 out of 5]

sweet
but way too sweet

the book couldve explored the relationshp between the main couple more...they trusted each other so easily and everything was a smooth sail for them
confrontations were very superficial and the ending felt like an unfinished chapter that was rushed

[Shanu · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this book because i wanted an alternative to heyer's "a civil contract", something that would be less austere, and maybe with more feelings to it. That was my mistake. I hadn't read anything from Wolf before so i didn't know what to expect but i was stoked because the blurb sounded really fun !
I was completely wrong.
This book wasn't fun, it was romantic but relied to much on instalove (especially on the heroine's part) for me to believe in it, but there was a whole side plot of trahison/attempt at murder that just irritated me more than i would have imagined.
From the blurb, you could think that suspense side story would be elaborate and thrilling, but no, it was basic as (insert bad word).

I feel betrayed. Wouldn't recommend. Will not read any other books from this author, especially when her stories feels like rip off of heyer's works.